Top News:
Associated Press:
Red Sox agree to 4-year, $36M deal with Lugo — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Boston Red Sox reached a preliminary agreement Tuesday with shortstop Julio Lugo that would pay him $36 million over the next four years. — Details of the agreement were provided to The Associated Press …
RELATED:
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Red Sox closing in on free-agent SS Lugo — The Red Sox, stalled in their efforts to trade left fielder Manny Ramirez, are closing in on their second major off-season acquisition, nearing agreement with free-agent shortstop Julio Lugo on a four-year, $36 million contract.
Sports Illustrated:
Manny trade talks 'all but dead' — Red Sox fail to find match for Hall of Fame slugger — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Red Sox are about to call a halt to the Manny Ramirez trade-a-thon, leaving five teams disappointed to varying degrees (six if you count the Yankees).
Discussion:
Purple Row
Sports Illustrated:
Red Sox get Drew — Former Dodgers outfielder signs for five years, $70M — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — J.D. Drew completed his long-talked-about deal with the Boston Red Sox, agreeing to a five-year, $70 million offer (pending a physical) to be their right fielder, SI.com has learned.
Discussion:
Extra Bases
Associated Press:
Drew, Red Sox reach preliminary agreement — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) - The Boston Red Sox brought in outfielder J.D. Drew to protect Manny Ramirez in the lineup. — Now they just have to decide whether to keep Ramirez where he is. — The Red Sox reached a preliminary agreement Tuesday …
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Sox agree to deal with Drew — Veteran to sign reported five-year, $70 million contract — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Ending weeks of speculation, the Red Sox plucked talented outfielder J.D. Drew off the free-agent market, agreeing to terms with the left-handed hitter on a reported five-year $70-million contract.
Drew Silverman PA SportsTicker / Yahoo! Sports: Red Sox sign OF Drew to five-year, $70 million contract
ESPN:
Maddux agrees to 1-year, $10M deal with Padres — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Greg Maddux and the San Diego Padres reached agreement Tuesday night on a $10 million, one-year contract. — The deal for the four-time Cy Young Award winner contains a $6 million player option for 2008.
RELATED:
Lyle Spencer / MLB.com:
Padres strongly focused on Maddux — Report has team close to deal with future Hall of Famer — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — On the opening day of the Winter Meetings, Padres general manager Kevin Towers said Monday that San Diego is in play with one future Hall of Famer — Greg Maddux …
Tim Brown / Yahoo! Sports:
Boras is gatekeeper, again — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Scott Boras ended Monday at baseball's winter meetings well into Tuesday morning, taking a telephone call from "a client on the West Coast" three hours after midnight, returning various phone calls after that, sounding surprisingly energetic, all things considered.
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:The latest from the winter meetings
Discussion:
Talking Chop, Lone Star Ball, The Cub Reporter, MLB Trade Rumors, MetsBlog.com and Purple Row
Henry Schulman / San Francisco Chronicle: A Giant move for Zito? SF may be looking at signing winter's biggest free agent
Sports Illustrated:
Yankees close to Pettitte deal — Veteran lefty may delay retirement; news and notes — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Yankees' search for a starting pitcher that will keep them from having to bank on a healthy Carl Pavano and Randy Johnson is narrowing. As Vicente Padilla came off …
Discussion:
Off the Facade, Yanksfan vs Soxfan, Pinstripe Alley, Bronx Banter and The Crawfish Boxes
RELATED:
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Market for veteran closer Gagne is heating up — ORLANDO, Fla. - Quick hits from the winter meetings: — The market for free-agent right-hander Eric Gagne is intensifying, according to a source with knowledge of the reliever's situation. — Some teams want Gagne to ease back into the closer's role …
Jim Molony / MLB.com:
Winter Meetings Whispers: Day 2 — Astros southpaw Pettitte considering another season — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — A possible decision by free-agent left-hander Andy Pettitte, the latest Manny Ramirez theories and various trade scenarios were the most persistent whispers of Day 2 of the Winter Meetings.
T.R. Sullivan / MLB.com:
Rangers won't go too high on Zito — GM Daniels spending cautiously; team eyes several options — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — The Rangers are talking to Scott Boras about free-agent pitcher Barry Zito. — One side doesn't want to talk about $100 million. The other side probably wants to talk about that and much more.
RELATED:
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Mets in talks to land reliever Burgos — ORLANDO, Fla. - The Mets, seeking to bolster their bullpen with a young power arm, are discussing a trade in which they would land right-hander Ambiorix Burgos from the Royals for a pitching prospect, FOXSports.com has learned.
RELATED:
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:Royals, Cardinals battle for Batista
Discussion:
Go Crazy, Folks!, Cardinals Diaspora, MLB Trade Rumors, Hot Foot, Viva El Birdos and Inside The Winter Meetings
ESPN:
Report: Lester's latest CT scan clean — Jon Lester reportedly received good news recently in his ongoing battle with lymphoma. — A source who has direct knowledge of Lester's medical condition told The Boston Globe that the Red Sox left-hander's latest CT scan was clean and his lymphoma seems to be in remission.
RELATED:
Ed Eagle / MLB.com:
Notes: Bucs in no hurry to make moves — Pirates' surplus of young pitching has teams interested — LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — In a market where productive pitchers with relatively little big-league service seem to be coveted as much as established starting starters and middle-of-the-lineup boppers …
